NFL Network’s Mike Mayock had previously linked McDowell with the Seahawks during his annual conference call with the media at the end of February. Mayock mentioned three defensive linemen who might fit in Seattle’s system, including McDowell.

At 6-foot-6, 295 pounds, McDowell is surprisingly athletic for his stature, but it’s not his size that might have NFL teams concerned, it’s his work ethic.

“That is not a problem at all,” McDowell said during his press conference at the scouting combine. “We had a long year. I had a lot of stuff going on this past year – health reasons, just body stuff. Just little stuff, really. I was out there and shouldn’t have been playing. It is what it is.

“That’s not something we’ll have to worry about in the future.”

But character is a huge concern for potential suitors and something the Seahawks will attempt to vet thoroughly before pulling the trigger on draft day.